Topline
President Donald Trump ordered contractors to redo work on the helipad being built outside the White House after growing frustrated with its appearance, the Washington Post reported, though it’s unclear how much the changes will impact the project’s cost or timeline.
The helipad under construction at the White House. (Photo by Kent Nishimura / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Key Facts
Trump ordered contractors to redo the helipad after growing dissatisfied with its appearance, the Post reported, noting the White House’s South Lawn slants downward, but Trump wants a helipad that sits level with the horizon.
The Post, citing sources familiar with Trump’s private comments, reported contractors are now considering whether to restart by altering the lawn itself.
It’s unclear how much the alterations to the helipad will add to the project’s price tag, which the Post reported was already over $5 million, though it is being funded by Lockheed Martin.
Trump has previously ordered the project to speed up, requiring contractors to work around the clock, because he wants it to be complete before Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Washington, D.C., in September, the Post previously reported.
What Do We Know About Trump’s Helipad?
Construction began on the White House helipad in June without much fanfare or prior announcement—unlike Trump’s other Washington, D.C., beautification projects, which he has often talked up. Trump previously told reporters he wanted to build the helipad because the fumes from helicopters risk burning the grass on the South Lawn. Trump did not seek any approvals for the helipad—neither from Congress nor the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts—the New York Times reported. A White House spokesperson told the Times “operational upgrades to the White House grounds, such as the helipad installation, do not require commission reviews,” though past presidents have sought approval for changes to the White House grounds.
tangent
The helipad is one of several concurrent projects underway at the White House and across Washington, D.C. Trump is currently building his White House ballroom, a $600 million project he has repeatedly boasted about, while crews are also working on security upgrades to the White House’s front door. The Trump administration also moved to repair the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, though persistent algae and a peeling liner—which Trump has repeatedly blamed on alleged vandals—have heaped additional costs onto the project. The Reflecting Pool debacle also inflamed tensions between Trump and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro after her office dropped charges against accused vandals. Trump’s D.C. beautification efforts have also involved upgrades to some of the city’s parks and renovations to the White House’s Rose Garden and Lincoln Bedroom bathroom.
big number
$1.2 billion. That’s the total estimated cost of 18 major construction projects Trump has launched across Washington, D.C., according to a New York Times analysis. It’s unclear how much of this is funded by taxpayers, but the Times reported a White House official suggested taxpayer money would be used for most of these projects.
further reading
Trump orders changes to new helipad after weeks of around-the-clock work (Washington Post)
White House Helipad Construction Reportedly Starts—But Trump’s Unusually Quiet On Plans (Forbes)